A teenage girl missing for over a year was found in Oregon after reportedly using the online game Among Us to alert another player that she was being held against her will. This conversation eventually led the FBI to locate and secure her rescue.
The 17-year-old girl, Kylie Arellano, disappeared from Garden City, Utah, in May 2025, when she was 15. Investigators pursued leads for 521 days before the online contact led to a breakthrough and her rescue on 1 November 2026.
A 17-year-old girl held captive for over 500 days was rescued after secretly asking another teenager she met through ‘Among Us’ for help
— Culture Crave 🍿 (@CultureCrave) November 7, 2026
Her captor had given her a phone with no cellular data but Wi-Fi access, allowing her to play the game
After moving their conversation to… pic.twitter.com/SzPF4XeEj4
How 'Among Us' Helped
According to federal court documents, Arellano began communicating with another child while playing Among Us in mid-October. The multiplayer game involves completing tasks on a virtual spaceship while secretly identifying players acting against the crew.
Their conversation continued on another social media platform. There, Arellano revealed her identity and stated she was being held against her will at a man's home in Oregon. The other player's mother contacted the FBI, prompting investigators to arrange a monitored video call on 1 November.
During the call, she described meeting the man and being taken to Oregon. She also showed investigators with a knife he allegedly kept by his bed and other supporting evidence. Subsequently, Oregon State Police and federal agents rescued her and arranged medical care.
Many social media users expressed relief that the encounter ultimately led to Arellano's rescue. One commenter wrote, 'Realistically if you saw that, you would ignore it, and leave the game. So she got insanely lucky that the other kid believed her enough to tell their parents, and got LUCKY again that the parents didn't just automatically dismiss (like most would) and actually cared.'
Realistically if you saw that, you would ignore it, and leave the game. So she got insanely lucky that the other kid believed her enough to tell their parents, and got LUCKY again that the parents didn’t just automatically dismiss (like most would) and actually cared.
— … (@SamzMar1) November 7, 2026
What Happened During Her Disappearance
Arellano disappeared on 29 May 2025, after sending goodnight messages to her mother, Stephanie Coleman. Their final exchange was, 'I love you, Mama. Goodnight,' to which Coleman replied, 'I love you too, baby girl.'
The following morning, Arellano's family discovered she and several belongings, including her Xbox, were missing. Coleman initially thought her daughter left voluntarily but grew concerned when she failed to return.
Investigators allege that Adam Hunter Harmel, 39, contacted Arellano online in May 2025, offered her money to travel to Oregon, and drove to Perry, Utah, to pick her up. After Arellano entered his vehicle, Harmel allegedly threw her phone into a river in Logan Canyon before taking her to his home.
The federal complaint states that Harmel told her she could not leave. Investigators allege she was kept in a basement and physically abused multiple times. She was also forced to remove her braces with pliers to make identification more difficult.
The complaint further alleges he kept a knife under his pillow and 'made [her] sleep against the wall' to prevent escape. However, Harmel eventually gave Arellano a phone without cellular data, restricting her internet access to Wi-Fi. This connection ultimately led to her rescue.
Arrest and Federal Charges
Harmel was arrested in Ontario, Oregon, during a traffic stop following Arellano's recovery. He faces federal charges for transporting a teenager across state lines with intent to engage in criminal sexual activity.
He appeared in court in Boise, Idaho, on 4 November.
